Interaction with a multi-component display

ABSTRACT

A system and method for interacting with at least one display screen of a multi-component display is disclosed. A system includes a first display screen operable to display a first image, wherein the first display screen includes a first plurality of pixels. A second display screen is operable to display a second image, wherein the second display screen includes a second plurality of pixels, wherein the second display screen overlaps the first display screen, wherein the second display screen is further operable to display the second image simultaneously with the display of the first image, and wherein a portion of the first image is viewable through the second display screen. A user interface is operable to enable interaction with at least one display screen selected from a group consisting of the first display screen and the second display screen.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/048,638, filed Feb. 1, 2002, naming Gabriel D. Engel andPita Witehira as inventors, assigned to the assignee of the presentinvention, and having attorney docket number PURE-P004, which claims thebenefit of International Application Number PCT/NZ00/00143, filed Aug.1, 2000, which claims the benefit of New Zealand Patent Number 336212,filed Aug. 1, 1999. Each of these applications is incorporated herein byreference in their entirety and for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Since our eyes naturally perceive depth, it is seen as a disadvantagethat most display systems are two dimensional. Furthermore, there aremany applications of displays where the realism of depth would improvethe effectiveness of the display. Thus many attempts have been made tocreate display systems with depth.

A number of display systems that present an image of depth have beendeveloped.

One class of such displays requires the viewer to wear some form of eyeshield system by which various means allows the viewer's two eyes to seedifferent images that are concurrently displayed on the same twodimensional screen. However, many users find it unsatisfactory to weareye shields, while the method of providing two different images on thesame screen is cumbersome and inconvenient for many applications.

A related but different class of displays presents a different image toeach eye by means of a binocular image system in close proximity to botheyes. This method, however, is restricted in the number of viewers whocan use the system and again many users find it unsatisfactory anduncomfortable to use.

A third class of display uses modifications of the two dimensionalscreen surface wherein two images are created on the screen, but bymanipulation of multiple refractors on the screen, for a viewer in thecorrect position one image is refracted into the right eye, and theother image is refracted into the left eye.

This system requires the users to be carefully placed, is inflexible andhas not found favor with many users.

The major problems with these systems were overcome by the innovativescreen techniques disclosed in PCT Patent Application No's.PCT/NZ98/00098 and PCT/NZ99/00021 which detail a screen system producinga perception of depth comprising at least two screens placed such thattheir axes are approximately co-linear, with each screen separated fromthe other in the direction of the normal, wherein an image, or part ofan image, displayed on one or more screens can be selectively madetransparent, opaque or partially opaque as desired.

It has been found however that even with these types of screens thereare some applications where the operator needs more control of theimages, such as with computer games and other interactive programs—forexample training programs.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoingproblems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of exampleonly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided aninteractive imaging system with depth, including at least two screensconfigured to show a 3-dimensional image characterized in that a usercan manipulate one or more parts of an image displayed, by the means ofusing one or more on-screen touch control means.

It should be understood that in preferred embodiments of the presentinvention the 3 dimensional composite image, spread over two or morescreens, can be interactive with any sort of controls, in particularwith “touch” controls on a screen or on a clear panel in front of thefront screen.

It should be further understood that in preferred embodiments the“touch” control can be activated by a variety of items including, butnot limited to, pointers, pens, fingers or pencils.

One form of touch control means can be an image of a “button” on thefront and/or rear screens which when touched can flip between 2 or morescreens to show the information relating to the button, or can performan operation associated with that button.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is providedan interactive imaging system with depth, including at least two screensconfigured to show a 3-dimensional image characterized in that at leastone part of the image, displayed on one or more of the screens, can bemanipulated by the actions of the user by using one or more controlmeans.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention a user can manipulateone or more parts of an image by using one or more control means locatedon or near the screens, these control means can be in the form of astandard “keypress” button or a type of joystick control or may even be“touch” controls located on at least one touchpad adjacent to thescreen, any of which can be readily purchased “off the shelf.”

It would be clear to anyone skilled in the art that these are all “offthe shelf” items that are readily available.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is providedan interactive imaging system which creates a perception of depth,including at least two screens configured to show a 3-dimensional imagecharacterized in that at least one part of the image, displayed on oneor more of the screens, can be manipulated by the actions of the user byusing one or more control means, and the information necessary togenerate at least part of an image can be transmitted from or receivedby the display apparatus via the internet or by another suitablecommunications means.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention there is provided amethod of controlling at least part of an image displayed on aninteractive imaging system which creates a perception of depth includingat least two screens configured to show a 3-dimensional imagecharacterized by the step of manipulating, by the actions of the user,at least one or more parts of an image displayed on the interactiveimaging system.

In some preferred embodiments of the present invention there is provideda method of controlling at least part of an image displayed on aninteractive imaging system which creates a perception of depth includingat least two screens configured to show a 3-dimensional imagecharacterized by the step of sending or receiving the informationnecessary to generate the image on the interactive imaging system viathe internet or any other suitable communication means.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the images, or thedata corresponding to the images, may be transmitted over the Internetor by other communication means for display at any compatible displayunit, or in the absence of a suitable display unit, as one or moreseparate images simultaneously on a single screen display. The datacorresponding to the images may be stored at any compatible remotelocation for processing or display.

Therefore the present invention has huge advantages over the displaysystems currently available as a far greater amount of data can bedisplayed on the display system.

Generally, data for front and rear images can be obtained and storedseparately.

Applications where this is appropriate can be in kiosks, games,simulators, training devices and the like.

For example, a flight simulator in its simplest form may consist of twoscreens wherein the front screen may display the cockpit instruments,control settings and generally illustrate the interior of the cockpit,while the rear screen shows the image as seen through the cockpitwindscreen—such as other aircraft, sky, cloud, grounds, the runway andso on, therefore giving the operator a sense of true perspective asdifferent maneuvers are simulated.

Either conventional instrument displays or “head-up” displays can besimulated with this invention, with the “touch-screen” ability improvingthe “playability” of these applications.

Display kiosks in stores and also for other applications can beconfigured to show images of products, their use and typically pictorialdata for describing, promoting and benefiting from the product on therear screen, while written or symbolic information about the product canbe shown on the front screen.

Alternatively, this order may be reversed, combined or arranged asappropriate for the preferred method of presentation.

The front screen may also have interactive functions such as touchcontrols, selectors and the like which allow the viewer to select orcontrol either or all of the display screens.

Alternatively the controls may be separate from, but in close proximityto, the screen and still allow the user to manipulate or selectseparately or simultaneously what is displayed on each screen.

Kiosks based on the invention may be used for a variety of advertisingand information presentation purposes. For example, a customer may beattracted to the kiosk by the use of attractive 3 dimensional imageswhich can then show advertising in an attractive and unobtrusive mannerprincipally on one screen while other screens at different depthscontinue to keep the viewers attention. The viewer may be encourage toconcentrate on action occurring on one screen while advertising or othermessages are unobtrusively shown on parts of another screen, typicallythe front screen, which may be mostly transparent.

This has a significant advantage over prior systems in that far moreinformation can be displayed at any one time, for instance on a twoscreen system-twice the information is available to the operator than ona single screen system.

The use of kiosks based on the invention allows the dissemination ofmore advertising within the same footprint or floor area, while alsoenabling the advertising to be made less obtrusive and more acceptableto customers, allowing the advertising to be more effective.

In effect the available screen size within the same footprint or floorarea is expanded allowing more information to be displayed and in a formwhere it becomes easier to be absorbed.

One huge advantage with the present invention over the systemspreviously available is that due to having either on-screen touchcontrols, or controls located adjacent to the screen system, theoperator does not need to take their gaze away from the screen area inorder to perform a control function.

This not only means that their concentration is not broken but also thatthey will be able to cope with a higher information rate.

There are a number of applications which are ideally suited to thisaspect, in particular computer gaming where taking your eyes from thescreen can affect your performance in an extremely adverse manner.

The use of the present invention means that a computer gamer forinstance will have a much faster response time to any given situationand less likelihood of missing any on-screen event.

This has even further advantages when the image or images aretransferred over the internet as the advantages disclosed previously canbe applied to on-line applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a first perspective representation in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a second perspective representation in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1 there is illustrated an interactive imagingsystem with a perception of depth generally indicated by arrow 1. Theinteractive imaging system 1 is comprised of a number of parallelscreens 2 configured in order they give a perception of depth.

An image, or part of an image, contained on one or more of the screens 2can be manipulated by use of the on-screen touch controls 3.

It should be appreciated that the on-screen touch controls are of aknown off-the-shelf type.

The on-screen touch controls 3 can be configured to perform a variety offunctions including the switching of the screens to the foreground andthe manipulation of part of an image from one screen to another.

It is envisaged that in some preferred modes of operation theinteractive imaging system 1 will display three dimensional images onthe screens 2 that have been transmitted to the interactive imagingsystem 1 via the internet.

With reference to FIG. 2 there is shown an interactive imaging systemwith a perception of depth where an image, or part of an image,contained on one or more of the screens 2 can be manipulated by use ofcontrols at the side of the screen which work in the same manner asthose in FIG. 1.

It should also be appreciated that these can be replaced by othercontrols such as an off-the-shelf type joystick.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of exampleonly and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions maybe made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.

1. A system comprising: a first display screen operable to display afirst image, wherein said first display screen comprises a firstplurality of pixels; a second display screen operable to display asecond image, wherein said second display screen comprises a secondplurality of pixels, wherein said second display screen overlaps saidfirst display screen, wherein said second display screen is furtheroperable to display said second image simultaneously with said displayof said first image, and wherein a portion of said first image isviewable through said second display screen; and a user interfaceoperable to enable interaction with at least one display screen selectedfrom a group consisting of said first display screen and said seconddisplay screen.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interfaceoverlaps a viewable area of at least one display screen selected from agroup consisting of said first display screen and said second displayscreen.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interface isseparate from at least one display screen selected from a groupconsisting of said first display screen and said second display screen.4. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interface is located on apanel overlapping said first display screen and said second displayscreen.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interface comprisesat least one user interface element.
 6. The system of claim 5, whereinsaid at least one user interface element is selected from a groupconsisting of a button and a joystick.
 7. The system of claim 5, whereinsaid at least one user interface element is mechanically actuated. 8.The system of claim 5, wherein said user interface comprises atouch-sensitive material, and wherein said at least one user interfaceelement is associated with a portion of said touch-sensitive material.9. The system of claim 5, wherein said at least one user interfaceelement is operable to adjust the display of an image selected from agroup consisting of said first image and said second image.
 10. Thesystem of claim 5, wherein said at least one user interface element isoperable to transition display of portions of images between said firstand second display screens.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein saidsecond image is associated with a user interface element operable toenable a user to interact with said first image displayed on said firstdisplay screen.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first image isassociated with a user interface element operable to enable a user tointeract with said second image displayed on said second display screen.12. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second imagesrepresent a single, three-dimensional object.
 13. The system of claim 1,wherein said first image and said second image each represent adifferent object with a different respective depth.
 14. A method ofinteracting with a multi-component display, said method comprising:displaying a first image on a first display screen of saidmulti-component display, wherein said first display screen comprises afirst plurality of pixels; displaying a second image on a second displayscreen of said multi-component display, wherein said second displayscreen comprises a second plurality of pixels, wherein said firstdisplay screen and said second display screen overlap, wherein saiddisplaying said second image further comprises displaying said secondimage simultaneously with said displaying said first image, and whereina portion of said first image is viewable through said second displayscreen; in response to an interaction with a user interface, adjusting adisplay of an image selected from a group consisting of said first imageand said second image.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said userinterface overlaps a viewable area of at least one display screenselected from a group consisting of said first display screen and saidsecond display screen.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein said userinterface is separate from at least one display screen selected from agroup consisting of said first display screen and said second displayscreen.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein said user interface islocated on a panel overlapping said first display screen and said seconddisplay screen.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein said user interfacecomprises at least one user interface element.
 19. The method of claim19, wherein said at least one user interface element is selected from agroup consisting of a button and a joystick.
 20. The method of claim 19,wherein said at least one user interface element is mechanicallyactuated.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein said user interfacecomprises a touch-sensitive material, and wherein said at least one userinterface element is associated with a portion of said touch-sensitivematerial.
 23. The method of claim 19, wherein said adjusting saiddisplay comprises transitioning display of portions of images betweensaid first display screen and said second display screen responsive toan interaction with said user interface element.
 24. The method of claim14, wherein said second image is associated with a user interfaceelement, and wherein said adjusting said display further comprisesadjusting a display of sad first image responsive to an interaction withsaid user interface element.
 25. The method of claim 14, wherein saidfirst image is associated with a user interface element, and whereinsaid adjusting said display further comprises adjusting a display of sadsecond image responsive to an interaction with said user interfaceelement.
 26. The method of claim 14, wherein said first and secondimages represent a single, three-dimensional object.
 27. The method ofclaim 14, wherein said first image and said second image each representa different object with a different respective depth.
 28. A systemcomprising: means for displaying a first image on a first display screenof said multi-component display, wherein said first display screencomprises a first plurality of pixels; means for displaying a secondimage on a second display screen of said multi-component display,wherein said second display screen comprises a second plurality ofpixels, wherein said first display screen and said second display screenoverlap, wherein said means for displaying said second image furthercomprises means for displaying said second image simultaneously withsaid displaying said first image, and wherein a portion of said firstimage is viewable through said second display screen; means foradjusting, in response to an interaction with a user interface, adisplay of an image selected from a group consisting of said first imageand said second image.
 29. The system of claim 28, wherein said userinterface overlaps a viewable area of at least one display screenselected from a group consisting of said first display screen and saidsecond display screen.
 30. The system of claim 28, wherein said userinterface is separate from at least one display screen selected from agroup consisting of said first display screen and said second displayscreen.
 31. The system of claim 28, wherein said user interface islocated on a panel overlapping said first display screen and said seconddisplay screen.
 32. The system of claim 28, wherein said user interfacecomprises at least one user interface element.
 33. The system of claim32, wherein said at least one user interface element is selected from agroup consisting of a button and a joystick.
 34. The system of claim 32,wherein said at least one user interface element is mechanicallyactuated.
 35. The system of claim 32, wherein said user interfacecomprises a touch-sensitive material, and wherein said at least one userinterface element is associated with a portion of said touch-sensitivematerial.
 36. The system of claim 32, wherein said means for adjustingsaid display comprises means for transitioning display of portions ofimages between said first display screen and said second display screenresponsive to an interaction with said user interface element.
 37. Thesystem of claim 28, wherein said second image is associated with a userinterface element, and wherein said means for adjusting said displayfurther comprises means for adjusting a display of sad first imageresponsive to an interaction with said user interface element.
 38. Thesystem of claim 28, wherein said first image is associated with a userinterface element, and wherein said means for adjusting said displayfurther comprises means for adjusting a display of sad second imageresponsive to an interaction with said user interface element.
 39. Thesystem of claim 28, wherein said first and second images represent asingle, three-dimensional object.
 40. The system of claim 28, whereinsaid first image and said second image each represent a different objectwith a different respective depth.